In the Blink of an Eye.

My girlfriend, Edith, at the time called me. “Where are you?” she asked. “Turn on the TV. We’ve been attacked. It’s the World Trade Center.” I remember closing my eyes and hoping what Edith was telling me could not be true. Sadly, it was. Every major TV channel was focused on downtown Manhattan. My mind raced to think of family or friends living in New York. There were none. I called my mom, Catalina, and she, like millions of people around the globe were focused on the World Trade Centers. We both were emotional. She asked, “who could have done this?” I didn’t have an answer. At the time I was an enlisted Soldier in the U.S. Army Reserves assigned to a local civil-affairs unit and attending Oregon State University. In a blink of an eye, America and with it, the world had changed. That year I would become fully immersed in the Army ROTC battalion, and like my peers–some former enlisted and some regular college students–would focus our attention on earning an Officer Commission in the next few years. Either of prior commitments or 9/11, we would take one step forward and commit to the defense of the nation.

Since 9/11
A lot has happened since then. After 9/11 my brother, Victor, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was mobilized and deployed as part of the ground invasion into Iraq in March 2003. It was my last year at Oregon State. Fortunately, the Marines only deploy for short periods of time. Victor returned to the family and his community within days prior to commencement. The family took the 6-hour drive from Mount Vernon and arrived in the morning hours in Corvallis to join me in graduation. I was super happy to have my brother back from the war-zone. Following commencement, I departed to my international internship in San Jose, Costa Rica where I spent the following months working as a journalists at the Institute for Central American Studies (ICAS) and its international news publication, Mesoamerica. I had never written professionally, but it was the first time where I worked alongside other journalist from around the world to produce incredible work. Upon returning from Costa Rica, I began writing for El Hispanic News and launched my career with a non-profit Latino community-based organization focused on closing Latino health care disparities. Summer 2004, I would also receive my Officer Commission in Infantry. One month later I would marry my college sweetheart, Edith, with 30 of our closest friends and family on an intimate Newberg compound encompassing 55-acres.

From Army ROTC to Deployment
What started as an enlisted career in a civil-affairs unit quickly changed, as a result of 9/11 and becoming an ROTC cadet, I transferred to the Vancouver-WA based 104th Division where I served as a company executive officer at a Drill Sergeant battalion. During my tenure, my mentor and company commander was mobilized and deployed to Iraq. I served momentarily in his shoes while a Captain could be found. This cross-leveling enables the U.S. Army to fully deploy units that are missing key personnel by individually-transferring military members from other units. The unit was assigned to “training and developing America’s sons and daughters.” A few months passed, and I was selected to be Aide-de-Camp to outgoing Assistant Division Commander, Brigadier General Ken Ross who was retiring. The Chief of Staff, Colonel Eldon Regua when promoted to General kept me on as his aide. This 50,000 foot view provided a level of experience and insight few junior officers ever experience. I remained on staff until the 104th Division was selected to send 300 of its finest to the Iraq war-zone for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Our Formal Launch
In the fall of 2004, BilingualHire (formerly RED Consulting Group LLP) launched out of our Beaverton apartment. This entrepreneurship experience, while exciting, brought on new challenges. Our first client Linfield-Good Samaritan College of Nursing provided us a key opportunity to demonstrate our passion for customer-service, results and developing talent. While we had nothing more than a few yellow note pads, pens and maybe a tie, we had courage, we were teachable, and we were persistent. Several clients later we moved into an Beaverton office suite. Our neighbors were insurance agents, therapists and accountants. I was the Managing Partner and we were in our mid-20s. Regrettably, as small business owners we closed down our office doors upon learning that I was being deployed to Iraq. I received official orders during the 2006 Christmas holiday.

18 Months
Along with 300 men and women across the U.S., we were on track for Iraq. The two other Aide-de-Camps and I joined our bosses, Major General T.K. Moffett and Brigadier General Eldon Regua for one final meal together outside a California military base. Along with the many thanks for our undivided support and service, we were thanked on behalf of a grateful nation that our service was noble. The following morning, we boarded planes to Fort Riley, Kansas and train for our 18 month mission. We would be stepping in the footsteps of the million Americans who had gone before us to the war-zone. I thought 18-months was extraordinarily a long time. I thought about our business that we had closed. I thought about the final farewell and hugs my wife Edith and I received from 50 friends and family that bid us just weeks earlier at McMenamins Kennedy School in Portland and separately at El Gitano in Mt. Vernon. I thought about 9/11 and how this was the impetus for our current departure. As faith would have it I would be assigned to work at ground-zero alongside Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and civilian contractors at the Joint Personal Effects Depot in what would forever remind me the cost of war, the lives that have departed us and the lives left behind. I would work alongside some of the most compassionate men and women who care for the memories of those that have fallen and those that are forever wounded.

Live
Eight years have gone by. Every major TV channel reminds us of the traumatic events that unfolded on this nation that day. It reminds us so that we don’t forget. Twitter, the free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read message known as tweets is no exception with 9/11 and Sept11 discussions. I am reminded today just like I was eight years ago that we are not immortal. We do not live forever. Today, we are reminded to remember the families impacted eight years ago, and military families that have placed the burden of war on their shoulders. In a blink of an eye, America and with it, the world had changed.

David Molina is the co-founder/CEO of BilingualHire. He can be reached directly at: david at bilingualhireco dot com, 1+(503) 708-4614 or you can follow his lifestream on Twitter.